Derrick leg coupling



DERRICK LEG COUPLING Filed March 27, 1929 2 ShsetsSheefi l INVENTOR.raafifieor/y BY 9 ATTORNEY Y I Oct. 4, 1932. BEARLY 1,880,231

DERRICK LEG COUPLING Filed March 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORI ATTORNEY figm E o/7 BY Patented Get. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES FRED D.BEARLY, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA DERRICK LEG COUPLING Application filed March27, 1929. Serial No. 350,231.

My invention relates to derricks and more particularly to structures ofthat character for oil well use.

In drilling oil wells derricks of considerable height and strength arerequired for accommodating the drilling tools and operations and tosupport the great weight of the tools and heavy strains incident to thedrilling operations. After the well is drilled a pumping derrick of onlysuficient height for stacking tubing and strong enough to withstand thelesser strains of pumping operation and pulling the tubing and rodsforrepair'and cleaning purposes is required.

It is customary, therefore, to install a high and heavy derrick for thedrilling and re place the drilling derrick with a lighter structure forpumping. As either type of derrick requires firm anchorage on apermanent foundation, considerable expense andsome difhculty areinvolved in replacing one derrickwith the other. 7

It is the object, therefore, of my invention to eliminate diflicultiesincident to replacement of one derrick with another by employing apermanent base section adaptable for use as a part of the drillingderrick and later of the pumping derrick, in combination 7 with arelatively light super-structure of sufficient height and strength forpumping puroses.

p It is also an object of my invention to provide improved means forcoupling the legs of the base and superstructure sections of thecomposite derrick structure.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which areillustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a derrick showing a top structureof increased inclination mounted thereon by means of my improvedcouplings.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my improved coupling connecting theadjoining ends of adjacent leg sections of the derrick.

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section on the line 33, Fig. i.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 44.-, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail coupling for joining derrick.

Fig. 6 is a. sectional view through the coupling illustrated in Fig. 5showing the connecting of aligning leg sections.

Referring in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a pumping derrick constructed partly from a drillingderrick and includes a lower base structure 2, which comprises the lowerportion of the drilling derrick, and a substantially lightersuperstructure 3 erected on the base structure and having relativelyincreased inclination for reducing the height of the pumping derrick.

Each of the derrick structure portions 2 and 3 is composed of tubularleg sections 4 connected by couplings 5, and reinforced by girths 6 andbraces 7 attached tothe couplings.

The legs of the lower structure portions 2 are mounted on a suitablebase 8, and the upper ends of the legs are fitted with my. improvedcoupling 9 for connection with the legs of the upper structure portion3. The coupling 9 includes a tubular body perspective view of thealigning sections of the member 10 having a socket 11 in its lower endextending in concentric relation with the bodythereof, and in the upperend of the body member is an angularly disposed socket 12 of smallerdiameter than the socket 11,' and terminating short thereof to providean internal annular flange 13 between the sockets. The upper and lowerfaces of the flange 13 are disposed at right angles to the axis of thesocket, so as to seat the entire end surfaces of the leg sections whichare applied in thesockets as later described.

Formed integrally with the walls 14 of the sockets are a plurality ofspaced ribs 15 for embracing the leg sections.

Provided in the 'wall of'the body member 10 and extending inwardly fromopposite ends thereof are vertically aligned slots 16 terminating inclose proximity to theflange 13. Formed integrally with the body portionat the outer'ends thereof on opposite sides of the slots are paired cars17 provided with registering openings 18, for receiving bolts 19 wherebypressure may be applied for clamping the leg sections in the sockets.

The walls of the body portion 10 are further provided with a sightopening 20 located centrally of the body 10 and at right angles to theslots 16 adapted for exposing a portion of the flange 13 to view, sothat the seating of the leg sections on the flange 13 may be observed.The walls of the coupling are also provided with diametrically opposedapertures 21 for receiving bolts 22 which extend through aligningopenings 23 in the leg sections to secure the sections in assembledrelation.

Extending radially from the body of the coupling diametrically oppositethe slots 16 and also diametrically opposite the sight opening 20 arewing flanges 24 and 25 re spec tively, which extend the full length ofthe coupling and are provided at their upper and lower ends with pairedopenings 26 for re ceiving bolts 27 in the ends of the brace rods 7 forsecuring the rodson the fitting.

The flanges 24: and 25 are provided midway between the openings 26 witha pair of spaced openings 28 for receiving bolts 29 whereby the girths 6are attached to the flanges for tying the derrick legs in spacedrelation.

In employing my improved couplings in reducing the height of a welldrilling derrick for pumping practice, the original upper portion of thederrick is dismantled and the couplings above described are applied onthe leg sections at the upper end of the remaining structure with theends of the sections engaged in the sockets 11, and in abutment with thebottom faces 30 of the flanges 13. The bolts 19 are then tightened toclamp the coupling on the sections and a bolt 22 is inserted through theapertures 21 in the coupling and the openings 23 in the leg sections.

Having mounted the couplings 9' on the lower portion 2 of the welldrilling structure, the super structure 3, including leg sections ofsmaller diameter than those of the lower portion, is then built up onthe base portion as follows: d

The lowerleg sections of the super structure are applied in the sockets12 of the couplings 9 and seated on the top faces of the flanges 18. Thelegs are then secured in the couplings by tightening the bolts 19 in theupper pair of ears and the bolts 22 applied. The legs are then, due tothe inclination of the sockets, supported at a greater angle ofinclination than the legs of the lower section.

A coupling 5 is then placed on the upper ends ofthe sections and thegirths and sway ing derrick. The couplings 5 differ from the couplings 9only in that the sockets 31 and 32 extend in axial alignment with eachother and are of equal diameter for connecting like leg sections in thebase 2 and upper portion 3 of the derrick as illustrated in Fig. 6.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. A derrick leg fitting including a tubular body member having a sightopening, an annular flange in thebody member, extending across thesight/opening, clamping ears on the body member, and means on the bodymember for the attachment of brace members thereto.

2. A derrick leg fitting including a tubular body member having a sightopening and longitudinally extending slots, clamping ears on oppositesides of said slots, anannular flange in the body member extendingacross said sight opening, and radially extending flanges on the bodymember including means for the attachment of girthsand brace rodsthereto. 3. A derrick leg fitting including a tubular body member havinglongitudinal, vertically aligned slots at opposite ends thereof andhaving a sight opening, paired clamping ears on opposite sides of saidslots, an annular flange in the body member extending across said sightopening, a plurality of spaced longitudinal ribs in the body member onopposite sides of said annular flange, and radially extending flangesonthe body memberpositioned opposite said slots and said sight openingand having aperturesfor the attachment of girth and brace rod members.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRED D. BEARLY.

braces applied to complete the first section of the super structure ofthe derrick, after which, the remaining sections may be assembled inlikemanner to complete the pump-

